Hospice throws down the gauntlet to Lancaster and Morecambe businesses to get involved in challenging fundraising event

The 50-50-500 Charity Challenge starts on April 1, and is challenging 50 local businesses and groups, over 50 days, to raise a fundraising goal of £500 each for the hospice.

With the support of fundraisers at St John’s, the teams are encouraged to raise the money in fun and interesting ways – not only helping to raise funds for the charity, but also helping businesses to improve team morale, customer relationships and fulfilling their corporate social responsibility schemes.

2023 saw the first Charity Challenge when, after a successful 50 days, the businesses involved raised over an amazing £35,000 in total! Team Lancaster EE walked away with the Charity Challenge Trophy after raising £5,000 alone.

Lily Knight, fundraiser working on the Charity Challenge, said: “I’m so excited to be working on the 50-50-500 Charity Challenge again this year. We’ve had so much interest and so many amazing ideas on how to raise the money already.

"It has been really interesting to get to know more of our local businesses and groups, and see how they work, and I am really looking forward to supporting them through this challenge alongside Emma!”

Tony Johnson, manager of Lancaster BID, said “When we found out about the 50-50-500 Charity Challenge it was a complete ‘no brainer’ for Lancaster BID to be involved. We see the challenge as a great way for businesses of all sizes to come together to raise money for an organisation doing fantastic work within our local community.”

St John’s Hospice receives around a third of its funding from the NHS, but still needs to raise around £12,000 per day to continue providing its excellent palliative care, and support for patients and their families in North Lancashire, the South Lakes and parts of North Yorkshire, on the ward and in patients’ homes.

Want to know more about the 50-50-500 Charity Challenge? Attend the Breakfast Information Morning at St John’s Hospice on Wednesday February 7, 8-9.30am.

To book on to the meeting or to sign up to the challenge – or to find out more – visit sjhospice.org.uk/charitychallenge